Breach of Trust
by Murphy2012
Summary: Jake Berkeley is in trouble, and Eric must put aside his jealousy in order to help him.
1. Chapter 1

A/N - This story takes place four months after the events of "Jigsaw". All characters belong to CBS. Except for Hannah. She's mine :)

Eric had spent most of the day underwater.

Patrol had called in a floater early that morning, so Horatio had asked Eric to search the area of the Everglades where the body had been found. He and Calleigh had driven out there, but she had returned to the lab to begin analysing some of the evidence already found at the scene. He had spent the day with a few patrol officers and the odd 'gator for company.

Now, all Eric wanted to do was pick up Hannah, take a hot shower, and spend the evening with his two favourite girls.

He wove his way through the lab, wishing various colleagues "good night" until he reached Ballistics. Calleigh was on her cell, but she caught Eric's eye. She briefly interrupted the call to tell him she'd meet him in the Locker Room.

Eric left her to finish the call and made his way to the locker room. Ryan and Natalia were already there, arranging to meet at a local bar for a few drinks later that evening.

"Care to join us, Eric?" Natalia asked.

"Thanks, but I've got to pick up Hannah."

"Who'd have thought Eric Delko would become a responsible family man?" Ryan teased.

"Yeah, just you wait, Wolfe. It'll be you one of these days" Eric smirked as Ryan flinched a little.

"Well, have a good evening. See you tomorrow" Natalia threw her purse over her shoulder and left, with Ryan following her. Eric opened his locker and began pulling out his things – wallet, keys, personal cell phone. He heard Natalia and Ryan exchanging goodbyes with Calleigh on their way out.

The click of her heels announced her approach, and Eric turned to face Calleigh.

"Hey baby. You ready?"

"Actually, Eric, would you mind picking up Hannah on your own? I have a few things to catch up on here. I'll be an hour, tops."

"You sure? I can help you. Mom won't mind looking after Hannah a little longer."

"No, I'm fine. You go. I'll see you at home."

"OK. Don't be too long, OK?"

"OK".

He kissed her on the cheek as he left to pick up Hannah.

Calleigh waited in the locker room until she heard the door close behind Eric. Confident that she was alone, she opened her locker and took out her purse. She would have to hurry if she was going to get there on time. As soon as she thought Eric would be gone, she left the locker room and headed down to the parking lot.

She glanced around the lot, making sure Eric had definitely left. Everything seemed quiet enough. Calleigh climbed into her car, reversed out of the spot, and pulled away from MDPD, heading for Bayfront Park.

Eric had forgotten his jacket. He wouldn't usually bother going back, but he and Calleigh both had the next two days off work. Plus, there was half a three-musketeers bar in the pocket. He needed to get that back before Wolfe found it.

He was approaching the lot when he saw Calleigh's car pulling out, heading away from him.

"Weird…" he muttered to nobody in particular. Maybe she changed her mind… But why wouldn't she have called him to let him know?

Suddenly, the chocolate seemed entirely unimportant. Let Ryan have it, if he wanted it. Instead of pulling in to the parking lot, Eric carried on, following Calleigh.

He felt guilty for doing it, but he told himself that why would it matter if she had nothing to hide? As he wove around traffic, careful to keep at least one car between himself and Calleigh, he called his mom.

"Hey Mom, it's only me."  
"Hi Sweetie. Hannah's here. She's just having a cookie. Is that OK? I don't want to spoil her dinner."  
"It's fine, Mom, a cookie won't kill her. Listen, I'm gonna be a little late. Just half an hour or so. Do you mind?"  
"Of course not. Hannah is an angel, we love to have her."  
Thanks, Mom. I'll be there as soon as I can."

They wove their way across town, Eric grateful he was driving the generic Hummer tonight. It would be less obvious to Calleigh then his own car. Finally, she pulled up behind Bayfront Park and got out of the car. Eric pulled over and watched cautiously from inside the Hummer.

He watched as she strode across the park, stopping under one of the massive Banyan trees.

He watched as she checked her cell.

He watched as a man approached her.

He watched as Jake Berkley kissed her on the cheek.


	2. Chapter 2

Eric watched them for twenty minutes. He would have stayed longer, but he needed to collect Hannah. She would be waiting for him.

Slipping the car into drive, Eric pulled out into the heavy commuter traffic. What was Calleigh playing at? Jake Berkeley, of all people. Surely they weren't… No, he would know. He could read Calleigh like a book.

Although he had fallen for her excuse of having to work late.

Eric swore under his breath. He and Calleigh had always had their ups and downs, but since Hannah arrived things had been better. The three of them had become a proper family. He thought things would be this way forever.

Maybe Calleigh didn't feel the same way.

All the way to his parents' house, he questioned his relationship with Calleigh, one minute convinced she was leaving him, the next adamant she'd never do that. As he pulled into the driveway, he took a deep breath. He didn't want Hannah to see him like this.

"Daddy!"  
She came hurling out of the house as soon as he pulled up. Daddy. He loved how it sounded. Hannah had started using the name within a week of them bringing her home. Four months later, she still wasn't calling Calleigh Mommy. The therapist said it was completely normal, that Hannah had known a mother, and it was hard for her to accept Calleigh in that role. She'd never known a father, making it easier for her to accept Eric.

"Hey angel. Have you been a good girl today?" He swept her into his arms and pushed her hair behind her ear.

"Uh-huh. We had a spelling test and I got them all right!"

"Wow! That's fantastic, Hannah. You worked really hard leaning your spellings. I'm so proud of you"  
She beamed at his praise.

"Hannah has been helping me fold the laundry this afternoon" Eric's mother called from the front porch. "She is such a good girl".

"Yeah, Mom. She really is."

"Are you coming in?" Carmen Delko asked.

"Not tonight, I'm afraid Mom. But how about we all have dinner next week?"

"OK, but you must bring Calleigh too. I want to see my daughter-in-law to be!"

"Mom, don't say that to her! You know how she gets. You can start saying that if we get engaged.

"_When _you get engaged. You are raising a child together now, you should get married!"

"We'll see, Mom. See you Monday."

Eric smiled to himself as he strapped Hannah into the Hummer. His Mom was starting to sound like a broken record.

Hannah chattered all the way home, telling Eric all about her day at school, who she had played with at break time, which teachers she liked.

Eric parked the car outside their home and ushered Hannah inside as she continued chatting, barely stopping for breath.

"Where's Calleigh?" She asked, realising she wasn't home yet.

"Still working. She'll be home soon." Eric didn't hesitate to lie to her. To protect her.

Eric glanced at the clock. It was almost 6pm. He left Hannah watching cartoons – a Friday night treat - whilst he started preparing dinner.

He was just about to serve up when Calleigh walked in.

"Hey Eric. Sorry, it took a little longer than I thought. Mmm.. something smells good!"

"Chicken Fajitas." As he carried dishes to the dining table, he called for Hannah to come and sit down with them.

They ate, exchanging details of their day. Eric didn't let on that he had seen Calleigh. He would wait until Hannah was in bed.

By 8pm, Calleigh was reading Hannah her bedtime story. Eric began clearing up the dinner things.

"She's out like a light. I didn't even get to the end of the book. Want a hand?" Calleigh slipped her arms around Eric's waste as he stood at the sink. He turned to face her, slipping his arms around her.

"Tell me what you were doing with Jake Berkeley."  
Calleigh froze. Eric could see the panic flash through her eyes before she managed to compose herself.

"Who told you that?" She pulled away from him.

"I didn't need to be told. I saw you myself."

"You _followed_ me?"

"I went back for my jacket and so you leaving. Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing. So come on, what's the deal?"

"It's… complicated, Eric. I can't tell you."

"Oh, well isn't that convenient!"

"No, Eric, it's not like that… it's just… Jake's in trouble. He needs my help, that's all."

"Why you? Surely he has some undercover friends he can call on?" Eric's voice was dripping sarcasm.

"That's just it, Eric, he doesn't. That's the problem." Eric could hear the panic rising in her voice. OK, so maybe he had been a bit harsh.

"Baby, you know you can trust me. Let me help."

Calleigh hesitated.

"OK, but this is just between us. I don't know who else we can trust."

"Cal, what's going on?"

"Jake's in deep, Eric. He's undercover with a group of drug dealers, they're bringing in cocaine from the Caribbean. It's a big deal, he's been inside for seven months. Last week he had a meeting set up with his partner on the outside, but when he got there… it was an ambush, Eric. Jake barely made it out alive. He has no idea what's going on, he can't contact his partner, he doesn't know who he can trust."

"But he trusts you."

"Yes."

"I trust you too. If you say he needs help, the guy needs help. But we should tell Horatio."

"No, Eric, I promised Jake I wouldn't tell anyone. I shouldn't have told _you_."

"Calleigh, Horatio's on our side. He can help us."

"Eric, please. Not yet."

He knew when to back down. He felt bad enough for not trusting her as it was.

"OK, OK. We'll deal with it. Try not to worry, Cal. Jake can't take care of himself."

He pulled her into an embrace. As much as he despised Jake Berkley, Calleigh was fiercely loyal, and there was no point trying to cross her. He would support her, no matter what.


	3. Chapter 3

There was little they could do for Jake over the weekend. Making calls from their home would likely arouse suspicion, and that was the last thing they wanted. Instead, they went about the normal business of being a family. Taking Hannah to the beach, cleaning the house, just enjoying one another's company. Eric called his Mom and made arrangements for them all to have dinner the following Tuesday.

Calleigh was on edge the whole weekend. She kept checking her cell, worried she'd miss a call from Jake. They had agreed that he would call in an emergency – if he needed help. She told herself that no news was good news. Any romantic feelings she held for Jake had been extinguished long ago, but that didn't mean she didn't still regard him as a friend, and she worried about his safety.

Eric tried to convince her that they should talk to Horatio, but now wasn't the time. The fewer people knew about this, the better. Calleigh didn't want to drag more people into this than she had to. And they had no way of knowing who they could trust.

Calleigh was up early on Monday morning, and was showered and dressed before she heard Hannah moving around in her room. Calleigh pushed the bedroom door open. Hannah was standing in her pyjamas, hands on hips, staring into her open wardrobe, her blonde hair cascading down her back. From behind, she looked just like a miniature Calleigh.

"Morning sweetie. You OK?"  
"I don't have anything to wear!"  
Calleigh walked over to join Hannah. "You have lots of lovely clothes."  
"Nothing red."  
"Why do you need something red?"  
"Because it's Red Day at school! Everybody will be wearing red."  
Calleigh felt a momentary wave of panic.  
"Are you sure, sweetie? I don't remember seeing a note…"  
"It's in my book bag."  
"OK, so where's your book bag?"  
"At Nana's house."  
Calleigh sighed. She would have to talk to Eric about checking Hannah had everything when he picked her up. For now, there was a more immediate crisis to deal with.  
"OK, well, you have red socks. And red hair slides. Will that do?"  
"NO!" Hannah wailed. "Everybody will be wearing totally red!"  
"OK, OK. Hang on a second." Calleigh left Hannah standing in her room, glaring. Moments later, she returned, carrying one of Eric's shirts, in a deep scarlet red."  
"I can't wear that!"  
"Trust me, OK." Calleigh dressed the little girl in black leggings, and a white t-shirt, then pulled the over-sized shirt over the top. The sleeves were short, thankfully, and with a belt to gather in the middle, it didn't look _too_ bad.  
"This will _have _to do." Hannah declared dramatically. Calleigh couldn't help smiling at the little girl's mannerisms. Little nuances she'd picked up over the last few months.  
"OK, let's get you to school."

Enrolling Hannah in a before-school breakfast club may mean a rush in the morning, but it left Calleigh and Eric able to get into work at a sensible hour. They arrived at the lab just after 8am.

Ryan caught them just as they stepped out of the elevator.

"Hey guys, did you hear? Night shift got a call early this morning – found a guy dead in his apartment. Been there nearly a week – the neighbours called it in. But get this – the guy's one of us. MDPD. Name's Mike Docherty. You guys know him?  
Eric shook his head "Name doesn't ring a bell. You?" He turned to Calleigh. She had turned white, her green eyes wide.  
"Eric, I need to talk to you." She dragged him away, leaving Ryan standing alone in the corridor.

"OK guys, catch you later" he called, to nobody in particular.

Calleigh pulled Eric into the DNA lab and shut the door behind them.

"Cal, what is it? Who's Mike Docherty?"  
"He's Jake's partner. Well, he was."  
"OK, Calleigh, you know we have to tell Horatio about this now, right?"

Calleigh rubbed her forehead and paced the room, clearly agitated.

"Calleigh?"  
"I know! Alright, I know. Dammit, Jake's in big trouble this time."  
"Come on. The sooner we talk to Horatio the sooner we can help him out."

Calleigh nodded, and the pair headed to Horatio's office. The door was open. Calleigh stepped inside.

"Horatio, could we have a minute please?"  
"Of course." He rose from his chair, and moved in front of his desk. "How can I help?"  
"It's about the victim Night Shift found last night – Mike Docherty." Calleigh continued  
"Ah yes, the executed cop."  
"Executed?"  
"So it would seem. Unless you know something I don't."  
"I had a phone call on Friday from Jake Berkeley. Docherty was supposed to meet Jake last week, but when Jake got there, he was ambushed. He made it out OK, but he hasn't been able to get hold of Docherty. Now I know why."  
"Why did Jake contact you, Calleigh?"  
"He had no idea what was happening, he didn't know who he could trust."  
"But he trusts you."  
"Yes."  
"If Jake's cover had been blown surely he'd have been the target, not Docherty?" Eric posed.  
"And why ambush him? Why not just kill him quietly? It doesn't make any sense." Calleigh was frustrated. And whilst they were trying to figure this out, Jake was in danger."  
Horatio turned to Calleigh. "Calleigh, can you contact Jake?"  
"Yes."  
"OK, here's what I want you to do. Call Jake. Tell him you want to meet him today, this morning if possible. Don't give away any more detail that you have to, we have no idea if Jake's calls are being monitored."  
"H, are you sure this is a good idea? Calleigh could end up being a target." Eric instinctively touched Calleigh on the arm, the most protective she would allow him to be in front of Horatio.  
"Eric, I'll be fine."  
"Calleigh, make the call. Eric, get Ryan and Natalia. I want everybody in Kevlar, we'll be joining Calleigh on her date."


	4. Chapter 4

Eric looked at his watch. 10.47am. Calleigh was scheduled to meet Jake in 13 minutes. Horatio and Eric were across the street from the chosen café, watching from the Hummer.

Calleigh wore a Kevlar vest under her shirt. The rest of the team were scattered around, and with the help of half-a-dozen out of uniform patrol officers, they had the area covered. Still, Eric couldn't help fretting. A sniper shot could come from anywhere, and a Kevlar vest didn't do much for a shot to the head.

He tried to focus on the case, and forget the Calleigh was at the centre of all this.

10.51. He heard the final patrol officer radio Horatio to tell him that the area was secure. The officers blended into the background, unnoticeable to an untrained eye. Ryan and Natalia were already in the café. Patrol officers posed as executives on cell phones, joggers taking a breather, or cab drivers waiting for a fare.

10:54. Six minutes. Calleigh would arrive any moment.

"Eric, I need to know you're going to stay professional on this." Horatio didn't beat around the bush.  
"You know me, H. You can trust me."  
"Keep it cool, Eric."

10:58. Calleigh was walking down the street, her purse thrown over her shoulder. She looked like any other woman out to meet a friend for coffee. She reached the coffee shop and took a seat two tables away from Natalia and Ryan. Close enough, but not too close. She didn't acknowledge them, and they ignored her.

10:59. One more minute.

The unmistakable roar of a Harley Davidson attracted Eric's attention. Jake Berkeley pulled up in front of the café and headed inside. Eric watched as he pulled Calleigh into an embrace, and kissed her. He felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck, a tingle of anger in his fingers. He knew this was all part of the act, designed to ensure that anybody watching would think Calleigh was nothing more than a love interest to Jake. But still, it didn't make it any more fun to watch.

Horatio and Eric watched. Coffee was ordered, delivered and drunk. Eric wished Calleigh was wearing a wire, so he could hear what was being said.

Finally, after 35 minutes, Jake left. As he sped away on his bike, Calleigh picked up her purse and headed back to her car. Horatio and Eric would follow her back to the lab in the hummer, where she would debrief them.

Horatio radioed the team. "All units, we're clear. Stand down. Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you very much. See you at the lab".

The executive got in the waiting cab. The jogger carried on, and Ryan and Natalia paid their tab and left. Eric was already following Calleigh's car, making sure she got back to the lab OK.

The team gathered in one of the interview rooms to hear what Calleigh had learned.

"Calleigh. What can you tell us?" Horatio prompted her.  
"OK, it looks like Jake's cover is secure. Another member of the gang he's infiltrated was shot and killed last night. One shot, straight to the heart. The gang are covering it up, but Jake managed to get me this." Calleigh held up a small, clear bag containing a single bullet.  
"Wow. I didn't even see him pass you that, and Ryan and I were literally 10 feet from you guys. How'd he do it?" Natalia was obviously impressed.  
"I can't give away all my secrets!" Calleigh exclaimed "But I'll tell you later" she whispered to Natalia.  
"OK, so somebody's picking off members of this gang. Are we looking at a rival group?" Horatio voiced what the others were all thinking.  
"That's Jake's guess, too. Whoever's doing this may have seen Jake with Docherty and thought they were both gang members."  
"OK. Calleigh, take that bullet down to ballistics. Get the one Alexx recovered from Docherty and see what you can find."  
"I'm on it" Calleigh left to begin working on the bullets.  
"Eric, Ryan, Natalia. We're going to go back through the evidence collected by the night shift. I want everything checked and double checked."  
The trio nodded and left the room, leaving Horatio alone.

Rival gang members killing each other off. If it weren't for the fact that they had a cop undercover, Horatio might have been tempted to just let them get on with it. That, and the risk of innocent Miami residents, potentially getting caught in the cross-fire.

So, what did they have so far? A dead cop in the morgue, an alleged dead gang member - although the only evidence they had of that was the bullet and Jake's word – and the attempt on Jake's life last week. It wasn't enough. Horatio knew Calleigh wouldn't find anything on the bullets. These people were too good for that. Their best bet was Jake.

His cell rang, interrupting his thoughts.

"Caine"

This was the call he had been waiting for, bringing him another victim of this gang war. But it was the wrong victim.

Jake Berkeley had been shot.


	5. Chapter 5

Jake had been shot.

Calleigh had been tempted to head straight to the hospital, but it would be hours before he was out of surgery, and even longer before he regained consciousness. She would be of more use here, in the lab, trying to figure out who did this.

Not that she was getting very far in that respect. The shootings – like the victims – had been perfectly executed. There had been no prints, no trace, and nothing in the system. Calleigh sighed in frustration and leant forward on the desk, closing her eyes.

"You OK?"  
Calleigh jumped. She hadn't even heard Eric come in.  
"Yeah. I'm not getting anywhere with this. There's just nothing here."  
"There was nothing on the rest of the evidence, either. Whoever did this was a pro. And he really doesn't want to get caught."  
Calleigh smiled weakly, before turning away from him. Even after all this time, she still found it hard to let go in front of Eric.  
"Cal, you don't have to hide from me. I'm not threatened by Jake Berkeley, not any more. I know how hard this must be for you. You guys are friends." He stood behind her, slipping his arms around her waist. She leant back against him, closing her eyes, letting herself relax a little.  
"Thanks, Eric. That means a lot."  
"I spoke with Horatio. Jake won't be out of surgery until this evening. The hospital have said we can talk to him tomorrow morning. Ryan's heading over there now to collect his clothes."  
Calleigh turned to face Eric. "Do you think it's the same guy?"  
"Honestly? No. The first two were clean kills, no messing around. The fact that Jake's still alive makes me think that this was somebody else. Maybe _this _was an inside job. One thing's for sure, he won't be going back in now. It's way too risky."  
"Well, that's something, I guess. It would be nice to get this all figured out, so the last seven months aren't totally wasted."  
"Yeah, well, we'll see. Listen, Horatio says there's nothing else we can do this evening. Let's go get Hannah. We can be at the hospital first thing tomorrow."  
"OK" Calleigh nodded, and followed him out of the lab.

Eric and Calleigh were at the hospital early the next morning. Jake had made it through surgery and was conscious. The bullet had missed his heart by a fraction.

"Hey, Bullet Girl" Jake smiled from his bed. He was weak and pale.  
"Hey Jake. Way to get my attention."  
"It worked, didn't it?"  
"Yeah, I guess. How you feeling?"  
"Great! I could run a marathon. He tried to laugh, but it proved too painful.  
"Take it easy, man." Eric advised. "Are you up to a few questions?"  
"I barely saw the guy, I didn't recognise him. I'm pretty sure he wasn't one of my gang members, though. And there was something off about him… like he really didn't want to be there. Actually, he seemed nervous. He hesitated."  
"Do you remember what he was wearing?" Calleigh asked, gently.  
"Dark clothes… not leathers. He wore a helmet. I do remember one thing, though."  
"What's that?" Eric looked up expectantly.  
"When he held the gun up, I figured what was going to happen, so I scratched him." Jake held up his left hand."  
"Skin cells." Calleigh smiled. "We should be able to get DNA from this. Nice job, Jake."

Back at the lab, Eric ran the skin cells they'd collected from under Jake's nails through CODIS. After a few minutes, a profile flashed up on the screen. Eric printed the details and took them to Horatio.

"Tyler Nash. 19 years old. Nothing but petty crimes on his record" Eric informed Horatio.  
"So why the sudden escalation?"  
"I'm thinking it's some sort of initiation."  
"So he's got involved in some sort of gang and he was sent to shoot Jake to prove himself. Eric, take Ryan and pick this kid up. I have questions, and he has answers.

The teenager slumped in the chair, surly, defensive. Horatio and Eric stood across from him, waiting for him to speak.  
"You can't prove anything"  
"That, my friend, is where you're wrong. We have DNA evidence that places you at the scene, and I'm sure once my friend here tests your hand for GSR, we'll be able to place the gun in your hand."

Nash looked away from Horatio, he knew he was defeated.

"You can lock me up if you want, but it won't stop what's happening. This is only the beginning."  
"The beginning of what?" Horatio asked  
"You losers have no idea what's going on right under your noses. This is war, man, and after tonight, Miami will be under _our _control."  
"Tyler, what's happening tonight?"  
"As if I'm going to tell you."  
"I suggest you tell us what you know, Tyler, and maybe the judge will bear it in mind when you go on trial for attempted murder."

Horatio could see the boy was thinking, weighing his options.

"OK, but you gotta protect me. If they find out I ratted I'm a dead man."  
"Don't you worry about that, Tyler" Horatio assured him  
"A shootout. All the gang members are gonna be there. Last man standing wins the city."


	6. Chapter 6

Horatio looked at his watch. 3.30pm. He had three-and-a-half hours to figure out what he was going to do. Pulling in everybody he had, everyone from night-shift, even patrol, they could still be outnumbered. There could be upwards of 60 armed gang-members. How could his team take control of that?

Unless… he was owed a favour. He could call in the cavalry…

Horatio dialled the number.

"Greg. Listen, I need to call in that favour…"

Ninety minutes later, Horatio had called in almost every favour he was owed. He had a good idea of how they would be able to deal with this, although even the best formulated plan was no guarantee. There would be a lot at stake tonight.

He walked into the briefing room where his team waited for him, along with some key members of the Night-Shift and patrol, plus his old friend, Greg. They all turned to look at him expectantly.

He began the briefing, going over in minute detail how he hoped the evening would pan out. They went over every eventuality they could think of, every fall-back plan, every worst-case-scenario. Finally, Horatio sent them off to prepare, instructing them all to grab something to eat on their way.

Before they left, Greg stood up. "Horatio, you do know this isn't exactly by the book, right?" "There is no book to cover this, Greg. We do the best we can."

As they filed out of the briefing, Eric pulled Calleigh aside.

"Cal, listen, I know we have a job to do, but please be careful out there, OK?"  
"You know me, Eric." Calleigh teased him.  
"I do, that's why I'm worried. Please, Cal, just promise me, OK?" He placed his hands around her waist, holding her close to him. Calleigh stepped forward and laid her head on his chest.  
"I promise."

The industrial estate was enormous, but Nash had given them a precise location. The team was spread around the space between units 9 and 10. They secreted themselves between crates, behind stacks of tyres, even in skips where need be. Gulls circled overhead, screeching loudly. Other than that, the entire area was deserted. Eric and Calleigh were positioned on opposite sides of the area. Each was in charge of a team of half-a-dozen officers, a mixture of patrol and night-shift personnel. Eric could just glimpse Calleigh through a gap in some crates. Her blonde hair was pulled off her face, secured in a ponytail. Her Kevlar vest bulked out her slender figure. Eric felt a pang of worry – not for his own safety, but for Calleigh's. And for the little girl who relied entirely on them for her every need.

Eric's radio crackled into life.

"All units, we are T minus 15 minutes. Radio silence from now on, please, ladies and gentlemen. These people may not be known for their punctuality but you never know. See you all on the other side."

Fifteen minutes. The few visible members of the team shrank back into the shadows, entirely concealed from even the most prying of eyes. The air crackled with anticipation. Fifteen minutes.

The time dragged by for Eric, even though between worrying for Calleigh, wondering if Hannah was OK with his mother, and trying to focus on the situation, he had plenty to keep his mind occupied.

Finally, they heard the roar of motorbikes approaching. Everybody tensed. Checked their weapons one more time. Adjusted their Kevlar.

They streamed into the empty space between the industrial units, their numbers swelling. Far more than the team had anticipated. Eric lost count at 42. And this was just one gang. Eric shifted his stance slightly, stretching out the stiffness in his neck. The gang took up position with their backs to the far wall, the warehouses flanking them. A couple of them stationed themselves by the narrow passage-ways that ran between the outer wall and the warehouses, ensuring they couldn't be ambushed. Some remained on the bikes, a few dismounted and walked around, casually chatting to each other, a relaxed camaraderie that Eric marvelled at.

Finally, Eric again heard the sound of approaching motorcycles. The second gang had arrived, thirty, forty, fifty of them. The CSIs, even with their back-up, were clearly outnumbered.

The two gangs faced each other, an eerie silence filling the air. Eventually, a tall, broad man with long dark hair stood forward. He addressed his counterpart in the second gang – a shorter man, but no less menacing in his appearance.

"You know the rules. 30 minutes. Whoever has the least casualties wins the city." His counterpart nodded slowly.

"This is Miami Dade Police. You are surrounded. I want you all to place your weapons slowly on the ground, put your hands in the air and lie down on the ground." Horatio's voice was projected by loud-speaker.

The motorcyclists momentarily hesitated, wondering where the voice had come from. But they soon recovered. They sneered, shaking their heads at Horatio's confidence. Someone spoke up.

"Get out of here. This isn't your business."

In his tension, Eric hadn't heard the car engine approaching. Neither had anybody else, judging by their reactions. A pale blue Mercedes appeared. Eric swore under his breath.

There were supposed to be people on the gate, making sure this didn't happen. He could see the face of the man behind the wheel, first confused, then terrified as three leather-clad man aimed their weapons at the windshield.

It happened so fast. Typical of Calleigh. She broke her cover to protect the unfortunate civilian. Eric tried to cover her, but too late. They had seen her move. He didn't even see who raised their weapon, who fired the shot. All he saw was Calleigh. Falling. Crumpled on the floor.


	7. Chapter 7

"Calleigh"! Eric cursed himself even as he shouted her name – he had revealed his position and he was treated to a shower of bullets as a reward. Ducking down, he returned fire.

Chaos broke out. Some gang members aimed at where they thought police officers would be. Others took advantage of the confusion to aim at their rivals. The CSIs returned fire as best they could, whilst sheltering from the bullets. The gang members, unprotected and exposed, were easy targets, and many fell with bullet wounds.

Eric saw two uniformed officers dart out from behind the crates and pull Calleigh to her feet. She was alive. She was walking. They ran for cover, sheltering from the rain of bullets.

"All units, do NOT break cover, I repeat – DO NOT BREAK COVER. We are GO for Plan B." Horatio's voice came over the radio system.

They knew what to do. Every CSI, every patrol officer, pulled back, as far into the shadows as they could. The gang members were slow to realise what was happening, too preoccupied with shooting each other. The massive doors to the industrial units were thrown open, revealing Greg and his team, until now hidden from view. The gang members didn't have time to react – before they had even turned around, the crew from Miami Dade Fire and Rescue turned their high-pressure hoses directly into the melee.

People were swept off their feet, unable to stand - let alone fire their weapons. As soon as the shooting stopped, Horatio gave the signal. Eric, along with his colleagues, rushed forward, still pointing his weapon. Horatio's team picked off the floundering men one by one as they tried to escape the cascading water, using cable ties to bind their wrists, and ushered them away. With almost half of the gang-members either dead or too badly injured to move, and the rest disarmed and struggling against the water, it wasn't long before the situation was under control.

The flow of water was finally turned off, and paramedics were able to move in, treating the casualties under the watchful eye of armed patrol officers. Eric left his team to deal with the remaining gang members, and ran to where Calleigh was sheltering.

She was propped against the wall. A patrol officer was with her, applying pressure to a gunshot wound on Calleigh's left arm. Blood oozed out of a graze over her eye.

"Get me a paramedic over here!" Eric yelled. A man carrying his emergency kit diverted towards them. "Calleigh…" He knelt by her side.  
"I'm fine, Eric. It's just a knick."  
"You broke your promise."  
"No I didn't. I _was_ careful. Nothing life-threatening, just enough to get me out of the paperwork." She smiled at him.  
"Stand aside please, sir." The paramedic took over, pushing the patrol officer out of the way. Calleigh flinched as he placed gauze and bandages over her wound.  
"You've always gotta be the hero, haven't you Cal." Eric accused her, trying to distract her from pain.  
"It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it."  
"OK, Ma'am, we should get you to the hospital. Can you stand?" the paramedic asked.

Calleigh nodded and rose to her feet, supported by Eric. They emerged from their shelter, and began the walk to the ambulance. A few people started clapping when they saw them, applauding Calleigh's heroism, celebrating that she was OK. She smiled and ducked her head, embarrassed. She shifted her gaze to the driver of the Mercedes, being checked by a paramedic. He was unhurt.

Eric helped her into the ambulance. "I'll catch up with you at the hospital, OK?"  
"No rush. Horatio needs you here for now. I'll be fine."  
Eric kissed her on the forehead. "I'll be there soon. I love you."

Eric pushed the door of the ambulance shut and pounded on the door. As it pulled away, he turned and headed back to Horatio.

His superior stood, hands on hips, sunglasses pulled over his eyes, surveying the scene. Slowly, the casualties were being removed. Alexx had arrived and was going over the bodies. Officers were escorting groups of gang members to waiting vans, where they would be transported to holding.

"Nice job out there, Eric. Seven dead, but none of them our people. In fact, our only casualty was Calleigh."  
Eric smirked and shook his head "Typical Calleigh."  
"She likely saved that man's life, so we'll let her off with this one. How's she doing?"  
"She's fine, the bullet grazed her arm. She's on her way to the hospital now."  
"We're almost done here. Let's get this place cleared up."


	8. Chapter 8

Finally, the last ambulances pulled away. The fire crews had packed up their trucks and left. The final detainees had been escorted away. The Mercedes driver had been collected by his wife; his car – riddled with bullet holes – would be towed to the lab for analysis. The only people remaining were Horatio and his immediate team. All of the ambulances had been used to transport the wounded to hospital – they would return later to take the dead to the morgue.

Alexx worked methodically around the scene, making initial notes of what she saw. Eric, Ryan and Natalia processed the vast evidence, picking their way through motorcycles, guns, bullet casings and bodies. Everything was photographed, bagged, and logged, ready to be returned to the lab so the events of the evening could be pieced together. Floodlights had been set up so they could see in the advancing dark.

At 1am, the nightshift staff, who had left hours earlier, returned to relieve them. Horatio briefed them on progress so far.

Eric checked his personal cell phone. He had a voicemail from his mother, telling him that she and Pavel had taken Hannah home. She was tucked up fast asleep. His parents would stay with her until he and Calleigh could return. He didn't know what they'd do without his parents to help out at times like this.

He climbed into the Hummer and turned the key in the ignition. As he began to navigate through the maze of warehouses and storage units, he dialled the number for the hospital.

A cheerful-sounding woman answered the phone. "Miami Dade Hospital, how may I help?"  
"Yeah, Hi – I'm trying to find out how my girlfriend is – Calleigh Duquense. She was admitted a few hours ago with a gunshot wound to the arm."  
"Just a moment, sir."  
Eric waited, impatiently tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, until the woman returned.

"The doctor will be finished soon, you can come and pick her up in an hour or so"  
"OK, that's great. Thanks". Eric ended the call and continued driving towards home. He would just have time to grab a quick shower and something to eat before he went to pick her up.

As he pulled up outside the house, he could see the living room light was on. His parents must still be up. He jumped out of the Hummer and walked towards the front door, pushing the door open.

He hadn't even shut the door before his mother appeared in front of him.

"Eric! We were beginning to worry. Where have you been? Is everything OK? Where's Calleigh?"

Eric stepped forward and hugged his worried mother.

"Everything's fine, Mom. We just had a little situation at work."  
"So where's Calleigh?" Carmen asked again.  
"She's at the hospital. Things got a little chaotic… she was shot…"  
Eric's explanation was interrupted by a scream, so terrified it barely sounded human. He turned just in time to see Hannah bolt back into her room.

"Dammit" Eric cursed himself. How had he not seen her? He had thought she'd be fast asleep by now.

Eric followed her. Pushing open her bedroom door, he surveyed the apparently empty room. He pulled open the wardrobe doors. No Hannah. Then he heard quiet sobbing. It was coming from under the bed.

He pressed himself to the floor and turned his head to the side. Hannah was curled up under the bed, hiding her face.

"Hannah, sweetie, Calleigh's OK. I promise."  
"You said she got shot." Hannah accused between sobs.  
"I know, but only a little bit. She's just got a sore arm."  
"My mommy got shot. She died…" The quiet sobbing escalated into more intense crying, as Hannah clutched her beloved Taffy Bear to her chest.  
"Hannah, please come out. Everything's OK. Calleigh's just at the hospital. We can go and bring her home soon."  
Eric waited, patiently. Finally, Hannah started to wriggle back out from under the bed. As soon as she was free, Eric pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her.  
"Everything's OK, Hannah. I promise."

Carmen read stories to Hannah whilst Eric showered. Forty-five minutes later, he wrapped Hannah – still in her pyjamas - in her coat and bundled her into the car. So what if it was two in the morning? She wouldn't sleep if he left her at home. She wouldn't sleep until she saw Calleigh.

Silently, Eric navigated the streets to the hospital. The city was quiet at this time of night, everything seemed so peaceful. Eric glanced in his rear-view mirror, checking Hannah was OK. She was bouncing Taffy on her lap, content in her childhood make-believe.

Eric parked the car in the hospital parking lot, and he and Hannah walked hand-in-hand into the main entrance.

Calleigh was at the reception desk, signing something. Her left arm was in a navy-blue sling, the cut on her head was covered with gauze. Within seconds, Hannah had seen her. She broke away from Eric's hand and began to run towards Calleigh.

"Mommy!" she squealed, delighted.

Calleigh turned just in time to brace herself against the full onslaught of Hannah – slight as the child was, she could still pack quite a punch when she ran at full speed. Calleigh knelt down and pulled the girl close, wrapping her good arm around her. As she hugged her, she raised her eyes to look at Eric. He stood, hands in his pockets, admiring the scene in front of him. Calleigh beamed at him.

Hannah had said it. That magic word.

_Mommy._


End file.
